Two powerful earthquakes hit the northwest region in Iran, East Azarbaijan province on Saturday (August 11, 2012), killing 250 people and injuring around 1,800. The earthquakes measured 6.4 and 6.3 in magnitude, leaving a trail of destruction and suffering.

Iranians flocked to the Internet to mourn the victims and to appeal for blood donation and help. They also expressed their anger at the Iranian national TV, which broadcast religious programmes, instead of providing viewers with information about the earthquakes and how to help.

Many people are still under the rubble in the villages. All State run channels [in Iran there is no private channel] are broadcasting religious programmes, instead of calling people to help. Iran's Supreme Leader's representative in East Azarbaijan said this earthquake reminds us “the Day of Judgement’.

People are under rubble needing help but Iranian channels broadcast religious program [Dua'a Jawshan Al Kabir] and one of them is showing “Down with USA’ [slogan]…

Aandishe reflects on the tragedy, wondering why mistakes are never learning experiences:

Each of us may have been at that place…why we do not learn any lesson from previous earthquakes…shame on liars who come on TV and talk about their accomplishment to increase the resistance of buildings to cope with earthquakes in Iran.

[…] Iranian blogger, his father and several volunteers who had gone to East Azarbaijan province to help earthquake's victims were arrested [fa] by security forces last week. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki released on […]

[…] Blood Donations – Two powerful earthquakes hit the northwest region in Iran, East Azarbaijan province on August 11, killing 250 people and injuring around 1,800. The earthquakes measured 6.4 and 6.3 in magnitude, leaving a trail of destruction and suffering. Iranians flocked to the Internet to mourn the victims and to appeal for blood donations and help. […]